Federal lawsuit aimed at new Maine law

Friday

Aug 28, 2009 at 3:46 PM

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Four groups have filed a federal lawsuit challenging a new Maine law that would make it illegal to collect or receive personal and health information from minors for marketing purposes.

The law was initially aimed at protecting the health information of those younger than 18, to keep drug manufacturers from marketing drugs to them. Along the way, the law was broadened to include personal information.

According to the Portland Press Herald, the complaint argues the law is overly broad and might keep colleges from communicating with potential students, prevent the media from identifying minors in news stories and essentially eliminate any marketing to minors.

The groups that filed the suit are the Maine Press Association, an association of Maine colleges, a coalition of online trade associations and the owner of the Lexis/Nexis data-gathering company.

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Information from: Portland Press Herald, http://www.pressherald.com

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